Method and device for manipulating individual small objects

Abstract

A method for individually moving small objects, such as cells, from one location to another as well as a device for implementing the method is disclosed. A small object such as a cell is isolated at some initial location and moved to some destination location by the movement of the small object through a succession of intermediate locations until the small object arrives at the destination location. Also disclosed are methods of manipulating cells made possible by the method and device of the present invention.

1. A cell manipulation device, comprising:
 a. at least N different locations, each one of said N locations in fluid communication with and having a fixed position relative to at least one other of said N locations wherein any one said location is no more than 1000 micron distant from at least one other said location; and 
 b. associated with each said location, a flow generator independently settable to a mode selected from a group of modes including a suction mode and an inactive mode 
 
       wherein N is at least three. 
     
     
       2. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1  wherein N is at least three and wherein at least three of said at least N locations are arranged in a 1 dimensional array. 
     
     
       3. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least four and wherein at least four of said at least four locations are arranged in a 2 dimensional array. 
     
     
       4. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least seven and wherein at least seven of said at least seven locations are arranged in a hexagonal lattice array. 
     
     
       5. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of said at least N locations are substantially defined by the presence of an inlet of a respective said flow-generator. 
     
     
       6. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of said at least N locations substantially comprise open trapping-ends of enclosures. 
     
     
       7. The cell manipulation device of  claim 6 , wherein emerging within at least two of said at least two enclosures is an inlet of a respective flow-generator. 
     
     
       8. The cell manipulation element of  claim 6 , wherein the order of the size of said at least two open trapping-ends is equal to or less than about 10 3  micron. 
     
     
       9. The cell manipulation element of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said N locations is associated with at least two flow generators and wherein each one of said at least two flow generators is independently settable to a mode selected from the group of modes including a suction mode and an inactive mode. 
     
     
       10. The cell manipulation element of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said N locations is associated with at least three flow generators and wherein each one of said at least three flow generators is independently settable to a mode selected from the group of modes including a suction mode and an inactive mode. 
     
     
       11. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said N locations is configured to suspend a cell at distance from said at least one of said N locations using a Bernoulli effect. 
     
     
       12. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least five and wherein at least five of said at least five locations are arranged in a rectangular lattice array. 
     
     
       13. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least ten. 
     
     
       14. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least 19. 
     
     
       15. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least 24. 
     
     
       16. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein N is at least 36. 
     
     
       17. The cell manipulation device of  claim 5 , wherein said at least two of said at least N locations are substantially depressions in a surface. 
     
     
       18. The cell manipulation element of  claim 6 , wherein the order of the size of said at least two open trapping-ends is equal to or less than about 10 2  micron. 
     
     
       19. The cell manipulation element of  claim 6 , wherein the order of the size of said at least two open trapping-ends is equal to or less than about 10 1  micron. 
     
     
       20. The cell manipulation element of  claim 6 , wherein the order of the size of said at least two open trapping-ends is equal to or less than about 10 0  micron. 
     
     
       21. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein any one said location is no more than 100 micron distant from at least one other said location. 
     
     
       22. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein any one said location is no more than 10 micron distant from at least one other said location. 
     
     
       23. The cell manipulation device of  claim 1 , wherein any one said location is no more than 1 micron distant from at least one other said location.